Being Kate Middleton‘s mom seemingly comes with its ups and downs — and over the years, Carole Middleton has learned a thing or two about talking to the press about her famous daughter. While recently chatting with The Telegraph, Kate’s mom revealed why her philosophy has been to avoid publicly speaking out about the Duchess of Cambridge and her family.

”Over the years, it’s proved wise not to say anything,” she said. “I thought it was better to know what people thought. But it doesn’t make any difference. I’m not really sure how I’m perceived now. But the thing is… it is really normal — most of the time.”

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Though Carole, 63, prefers to keep her family life private, she did reveal one tradition that she has with her grandkids Prince George and Princess Charlotte for the holidays — giving the tots their own Christmas trees!

“[It’s] so that they can decorate it themselves,” she told the UK newspaper. This year, Carole might add two extra Christmas trees in her house for Kate’s youngest child, Prince Louis, and her other daughter Pippa Middleton’s new baby boy, Arthur.

This holiday season, the Cambridge kids will have to travel about 50 miles west of London to get to Carole’s manor in Bucklebury, England to see their doting grandma and grandpa, Michael Middleton. But luckily for Meghan Markle‘s mom, Doria Ragland, she can just stay in London this year when she visits her daughter for Christmas.

According to recent reports, Queen Elizabeth didn’t want pregnant Meghan, 37, to spend the holiday without her mom so she invited Doria to spend Christmas with the royal family. “It’s a mark of the Queen’s respect for Meghan and an acknowledgment that she doesn’t have any other relations in this country — unlike Kate who has the support of a very close family,” a royal insider previously told the Sunday Express.

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Last year, Meghan spent Christmas with the royal family for the first time and left a great impression on everybody. “It was fantastic. She really enjoyed it, the family loved having her there,” Prince Harry previously said on Radio 4’s Today program. “Together we had a really amazing time. We had great fun staying with my brother and sister-in-law and running around with the kids.”

“She’s done an absolutely amazing job. She’s getting in there. And it’s the family that I suppose she’s never had,” he added. We’re betting Meghan has even more Christmas fun this year now that her mom is joining the festivities!

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